Classics Revisited: Nike Air Foamposite Pro “Dr. Doom” (2006)

The Air Foamposite has been the ‘lone wolf’ of sneaker history. From an outsiders point of view, the Air Foamposite One/Pro was a relatively weird-looking shoe, and with the $170 (and now $220) price-tags, it was merely something to gawk at while browsing around for White-on-White Air Force 1s. Of course, times have changed, and Foams are now the BMOC (big man on campus), so this week’s focus on the Air Foamposite Pro for our Classics Revisited feature has been a refreshing validation for those who were on Foams years before the current mainstream hype. The Air Foamposite always stood alone, but in 2006, Nike Sportswear decided to include it in a special-edition ‘Pack’ or releases known as the Fantastic Four Pack (roughly one year after the the release of the feature film). Which character would it represent? One would guess that a Foamposite would take on the persona of Ben Grimm/Thing considering both share that bulky build, but sadly, the Foamposite stood on its own – again.

The Fantastic Four Pack was comprised of the Nike Air Max 90 (Mr. Fantastic), Nike Air Force 1 Low (Invisible Woman), Nike Dunk High (The Thing), and the Nike Air Max 95 (Human Torch), and collectively the ‘Pack’ opposed the Four’s long-standing rival Victor von Doom, otherwise known as Dr. Doom. The earliest Dr. Doom illustrations in 1962 pictured Dr. Doom with a silver mask and green cape, but the Nike’s take on the classic Marvel villain was a simple Black/White colorway on the Air Foamposite Pro; it featured a solid black upper with a matte finish with a white outsole, swoosh, interior, and detail on the tongue and heel. The ‘Doom Foams’ released in July of 2006 at select markets (NYC, DC, MD, VA, and a few other spots) and – not surprisingly – weren’t an instant hit, although today they are rather tough to find and demand a steep price once located. Of course, the Dooms were appreciated by true Foamposite fans, although many will attest that the white interior lining was a troublesome feature as it got dirtied up rather easily. Regardless, the Dr. Doom Foams are the only Foamposite Pros with a true nickname, but we’re certain NSW’s got some other concepts in mind for future Pro releases. Who’s got the Doom Foams in their rotation? Let us know!